I stopped by the dealer today and I am stunned to have been told there is no maintenance to be done before 10K. Here, we are in the desert with extreme temperature, pollution and dust.

It seems I will drive about 6K every year. My first service will be only in 18 months?

Well, I owned an Infiniti G37 and oil change schedule was 3.5K or 6 months.

Somebody can explain me the logic behind Mini scheduled maintenance?

The 3 years/36K maintenance free program seems more a gimmick than anything else to make repair costs far more expensive just after it is out of warranty.

The way I look at the overall reliability of the Mini is now a concern and I am not sure if I will keep it.

 

If you've ever owned a BMW, you'd know it works generally the same way. If there is something that needs maintaining, is doing your own oil change regularly like many of us already do. It's not a ticking time bomb, so no need to be scare of reliability...

 

We recommend changing the oil every 5k and that's what I do in my personal cars.

 

You should be able to take your car in after 7/23/15 and have your annual maintenance taken care of without questions. Last year on my first anniversary I sat at 4200 and maintenance was completed. January 3 was my second anniversary and I'm at just over 8500. I will make a call to schedule an appointment next week.

 

So, it is one year or 10K. It make more sense.

What have they done at your first service after a year with 4.2K?

 

If you don't trigger the onboard service indicator system (CBS) within a year you are eligible for what they call an annual oil service. And it's just that an oil and filter change. They always should check your fluids and tire pressures. Also always say your wipers streak and you get new wiper blades. Second year anniversary will get you another oil service and a brake fluid flush and micro filter. Rinse and repeat. Ther are other minor things that happen but you get the jist of it. . Sent from my iPad using NAMotoring

 

What is the third year?

 

The main items listed on my invoice are:
1. Multi-point inspection
2. Scope check
3. Brake/hydraulic fluid renewal
4. Micro filter replacement
5. Oil and filter change

I also had them check a few nit-picky issues I had. Door sills on both sides with failing adhesive, the hood not lining up when closed, and the seat lever printing was faded. Everything but the hood was corrected. They tweaked the hood a bit, but it didn't last. I can still fit a finger in the gap on the driver's side and remove that side's scuttle easily. I will have them revisit this during my next visit.

I also requested that they update my car to the latest version of the software (datens), but they didn't go for it. Which brings me to...do you have completely manual control of your spoiler? IE; if you manually put it up, does it stay up until you put it down? That is the feature I was trying to get. I've heard newer R58s and R59s have that feature.

Make your first maintenance an opportunity to address any concerns you may have about the car!

 

Not sure how it works if an update fails under warranty but at any point a module fails during its update process the whole system has to be replaced. Mine failed and I had to pony up $900. Then they resumed update and finally got the update but I wouldn't want to do it if I absolutely didn't have to. You've been warned....

 

It ended up that what I said is no longer correct. Free maintenance for the first 3 years sounds like it is for sure at the end of the first year. When I took it in just over a week ago, they wondered why I was in.

I told them I thought it was service every year OR 15K miles. They said some cars used to be coded that way, but mine was not. My next service, given my mileage trend, will be to take it just before the 3 yr anniversary. This is according to my SA.

They are going to correct a problem with my scuttles coming off too easily. There's a service bulletin for this. A leak was also found which will take them a couple of days to fix. I don't have the papers, but I thought he said it was the fuel pump. I won't be able to check the paper or take it in for a few more weeks. It's me, not them...

 

Send an email to miniusa.com and ask them if you are entitled to annual service. They tried to change it to two years around 2011 but changed it back again when the customers protested.

 

The dealer told me my first maintenance is scheduled at one year from new (07/15) no matter the car will have only about 4.2K.

There is no reason you should accept that.

You said, "a couple of days" to fix a leak on a mostly new car ????????? It seems pretty typical how lazy the Mini dealers are.

At the first service, I expect mine to be there for at least two weeks.